Pictures offer glimpse inside someone’s life

Published: Sunday, October 21, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, October 19, 2012 at 11:13 a.m.

When I was young and our children were small, we would often go to church fairs for our good times. I would take my camera along and snap pictures of the kids playing and having a good time.

We’re older now. Our children have children of their own and some of them have grandchildren. I’m glad I toted that camera everywhere we went. Today, we have albums upon albums of pictures of our various outings, vacations, holidays and such. If we didn’t have those albums to refresh our memories, I feel certain some of those occasions would not be as clear in our minds.

I had a job at one time where I took pictures nearly every day, including weekends. I loved to take pictures. Now I hate to take pictures. I used to hate having my picture taken. Now I prefer being in front of the camera than behind it. While I was working as staff writer and photographer for our Catholic newspaper, I won two first-place awards for feature picture. One of the pictures was a child, her young smooth hand holding the wrinkled hand of an older lady. A lit votive candle and an open Bible were on the table. It’s a lovely picture, and I have a framed print of it hanging in my home office.

The other picture is of a child, maybe 2 or 3 years old, his mother holding his hands as they gaze into each other’s eyes. Since it’s almost 25 years since my retirement, I would think the child is finished college and is probably gainfully employed.

Those are two pictures I’m very fond of. I also have that picture hanging in my home office right next to the other one.

To give credit where credit is due, however, I must admit that a professional photographer at the Catholic newspaper in New Orleans developed the film, and were it not for him and his fine quality work, I may not have won for either picture.

Another photo I’m extremely proud of is in one of my albums, but a larger, framed version sits on a shelf in my daughter-in-law’s home. It’s a photo I took of their only daughter when she was a baby, sitting on her maternal great-grandmother’s lap. Her maternal great-grandfather is kissing the top of the baby’s head. It’s such a loving scene. I must have snapped the picture just at the right moment. It brings back such joyful memories.

That set of grandparents are deceased, and I am among those who miss them. They were delightful people. That “baby” is grown now and has children of her own. It’s a pity the elderly couple are not around to see this young, growing family. We feel blessed that we are experiencing that privilege.

On another wall in our home is a formal picture of Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux. I cherish that picture. Opposite the picture of Boudreaux is one of me receiving Communion from the pope. That picture was taken by the Vatican photographer.

On other walls in our home are pictures of Vic in his service uniform when he served in World War II, and later in life when he retired as a school bus driver for Terrebonne Parish. One of his fondest memories of that job was of a little girl who thought he’d bring her to the North Pole, probably to see Santa Claus. Another story is about a little boy who wanted to come home with him and live with us.

So many pictures and so many memories, all precious.

Irene C. Michel, a native of Terrebonne Parish, is a columnist for The Courier and Daily Comet. She can be reached at 876-3252 or ICMwriter84@gmail.com.

<p>When I was young and our children were small, we would often go to church fairs for our good times. I would take my camera along and snap pictures of the kids playing and having a good time.</p><p>We're older now. Our children have children of their own and some of them have grandchildren. I'm glad I toted that camera everywhere we went. Today, we have albums upon albums of pictures of our various outings, vacations, holidays and such. If we didn't have those albums to refresh our memories, I feel certain some of those occasions would not be as clear in our minds.</p><p>I had a job at one time where I took pictures nearly every day, including weekends. I loved to take pictures. Now I hate to take pictures. I used to hate having my picture taken. Now I prefer being in front of the camera than behind it. While I was working as staff writer and photographer for our Catholic newspaper, I won two first-place awards for feature picture. One of the pictures was a child, her young smooth hand holding the wrinkled hand of an older lady. A lit votive candle and an open Bible were on the table. It's a lovely picture, and I have a framed print of it hanging in my home office.</p><p>The other picture is of a child, maybe 2 or 3 years old, his mother holding his hands as they gaze into each other's eyes. Since it's almost 25 years since my retirement, I would think the child is finished college and is probably gainfully employed.</p><p>Those are two pictures I'm very fond of. I also have that picture hanging in my home office right next to the other one.</p><p>To give credit where credit is due, however, I must admit that a professional photographer at the Catholic newspaper in New Orleans developed the film, and were it not for him and his fine quality work, I may not have won for either picture.</p><p>Another photo I'm extremely proud of is in one of my albums, but a larger, framed version sits on a shelf in my daughter-in-law's home. It's a photo I took of their only daughter when she was a baby, sitting on her maternal great-grandmother's lap. Her maternal great-grandfather is kissing the top of the baby's head. It's such a loving scene. I must have snapped the picture just at the right moment. It brings back such joyful memories. </p><p>That set of grandparents are deceased, and I am among those who miss them. They were delightful people. That “baby” is grown now and has children of her own. It's a pity the elderly couple are not around to see this young, growing family. We feel blessed that we are experiencing that privilege.</p><p>On another wall in our home is a formal picture of Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux. I cherish that picture. Opposite the picture of Boudreaux is one of me receiving Communion from the pope. That picture was taken by the Vatican photographer.</p><p>On other walls in our home are pictures of Vic in his service uniform when he served in World War II, and later in life when he retired as a school bus driver for Terrebonne Parish. One of his fondest memories of that job was of a little girl who thought he'd bring her to the North Pole, probably to see Santa Claus. Another story is about a little boy who wanted to come home with him and live with us.</p><p>So many pictures and so many memories, all precious.</p><p>Irene C. Michel, a native of Terrebonne Parish, is a columnist for The Courier and Daily Comet. She can be reached at 876-3252 or ICMwriter84@gmail.com.</p>